It is desirable to replace strings on musical instruments often, either to maintain sound quality as strings wear, or to replace broken strings. Replacing the strings of a musical instrument, such as a guitar, may be a difficult and tedious task to accomplish. Many users, for example, novice and/or young users, choose to consult a professional to change strings, resulting in lost time, enjoyment, and unnecessary costs.
There are several devices that have been designed to aid an individual in the replacement of strings; however, there are some shortcomings to these devices. Some require expensive after-market installation of parts, such as locking tuners, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,580,022. Others are more affordable, but do not solve the problem entirely, such as string winders, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,953.
FIG. 1 shows a partial view of the upper neck 50 and headstock 52 of a prior art guitar. Six conventional tuning machines 40 are located on the headstock 52, each having a post 47 or peg, and a tuning button 46 or handle. Each tuning machine 40 is generally attached to the back surface of the guitar headstock 52, with the post 47 extending through an aperture in the headstock 52, and a winding shaft 44 extending outward from the back of the headstock 52. The winding shaft rotates around an axis 71. The post 47 is connected to the winding shaft 44 via a gear mechanism, which may be open or enclosed. The post 47 is generally secured to the top surface of the headstock 52 via a bearing 45. To replace a string 13, the user threads the string through a borehole 48 of the tuning post 47. The user then repeatedly turns the winding shaft 44 via the tuning button 46, causing the tuning post 47 to rotate. The string 13 is wound around the tuning post 47 as the tuning post 47 rotates. However, there are several factors that make this task difficult.
For one, the user must hold the string 13 as it winds around the tuning post 47 to prevent the string 13 from slipping off the tuning post 47. Strings 13 are commonly made of metal alloys and may be awkward to handle and cause discomfort and pain as tension is applied, particularly for novice and/or young users. Concurrently, to wind a string, the user must apply considerable force by turning the tuning button 46. Due to the natural resistance of the string 13 to bending, the string 13 may not immediately wind flush around the tuning post 47. Instead, the string 13 may begin to wind in large loops, which become successively smaller as the string 13 winds down.
There is a point where the user must hold down the string 13 against its preferred position to prevent the loops of string 13 from sliding off the tuning post 47. This may be difficult due to the high tension on the string 13, and because the user has only one hand available, as the other hand is turning the tuning button 46. If the string 13 slides off the tuning post 47, the user will have to restart the process. In some cases, the bent string 13 may be crimped and is not salvageable, resulting in losses of time and money for the user. Therefore, there is a need in the industry to address one or more of the abovementioned shortcomings.